Rights of Union Members

Despite the appearance of employee rights, the LMRDA specifically prohibits the Department of Labor from investigating potential violations of a union member’s rights. As a result, the Bill of Rights does little to aid members. The LMRDA grants employees a right to participate in the union’s administration, elections, and meeting and freedom of speech and assembly, including: Freedom to criticize union officials; Freedom to distribute literature in front of the union hall; Freedom to hold separate meetings without interference from union leadership; Rights to secret ballot votes for rates of dues and assessments; The right to sue the union; Protection from improper union discipline and a right to due process during internal unions hearings, and; A right to receive a copy of collective bargaining agreements. Read Next: Disclosure and Deterrence

When union bosses try to gain new union members and begin collecting their dues, they make a pitch to employees. But they usually only tell half of the story